Date:
January 23, 2015
Source:
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
Summary:
To control one's dreams and to live 'out there' what is impossible in
real life -- a truly tempting idea. Some persons -- so-called lucid dreamers --
can do this. Researchers have discovered that the brain area which enables
self-reflection is larger in lucid dreamers. Thus, lucid dreamers are possibly
also more self-reflecting when being awake.
In lucid dreamers, the prefrontal cortex enabling self-reflection is
bigger in comparision to other people.
CREDIT: Copyright MPI for Human Development
To control one's dreams and to live 'out there' what is impossible in
real life -- a truly tempting idea. Some persons -- so-called lucid dreamers --
can do this. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in
Berlin and the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have discovered
that the brain area which enables self-reflection is larger in lucid dreamers.
Thus, lucid dreamers are possibly also more self-reflecting when being awake.
Related Articles
Lucid dreamers are aware of dreaming while dreaming. Sometimes, they can
even play an active role in their dreams. Most of them, however, have this
experience only several times a year and just very few almost every night.
Internet forums and blogs are full of instructions and tips on lucid
dreaming. Possibly, lucid dreaming is closely related to the human capability
of self-reflection -- the so-called metacognition.
Neuroscientists from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and
the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry have compared brain structures of
frequent lucid dreamers and participants who never or only rarely have lucid
dreams. Accordingly, the anterior prefrontal cortex, i.e., the brain area
controlling conscious cognitive processes and playing an important role in the
capability of self-reflection, is larger in lucid dreamers.
The differences in volumes in the anterior prefrontal cortex between
lucid dreamers and non-lucid dreamers suggest that lucid dreaming and
metacognition are indeed closely connected. This theory is supported by brain
images taken when test persons were solving metacognitive tests while being
awake. Those images show that the brain activity in the prefrontal cortex was
higher in lucid dreamers. "Our results indicate that self-reflection in
everyday life is more pronounced in persons who can easily control their
dreams," states Elisa Filevich, post-doc in the Center for Lifespan
Psychology at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development.
The researchers further want to know whether metacognitive skills can be
trained. In a follow-up study, they intend to train volunteers in lucid
dreaming to examine whether this improves the capability of self-reflection.
Story Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. Note: Materials
may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
- Filevich,
E., Dresler, M., Brick, T.R., Kühn, S. Metacognitive Mechanisms Underlying Lucid Dreaming. The Journal of Neuroscience, 2015 DOI:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3342-14.201
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